This post discusses the recent history of proposals for developing the Rainbow Industrial Estate by Raynes Park station.

Proposals for development since 2009
We’ve been campaigning against inappropriate development on the site since 2009, when a proposed food waste processing plant was stopped because of concerns about air pollution caused by extra traffic bringing in waste from across London. The developers were trying to get in ahead of changes to planning rules that restricted where waste processing sites could be built and what waste that could be taken there. After a further campaign, Merton Council also ultimately dropped plans to include the site in the list of places for waste management facilities. 

Flats and business units
Last year, the owers of the site, Workspace, proposed 250 flats and business units to support about 100 jobs for the site. Merton Council then let Workspace write the Planning Brief, which is supposed to be the expression of the community’s aims for the site.

Controversy and opposition
This was controversial, and criticised by opposition councillors in September 2012, who passed a motion asking the Council to carry out a “needs analysis on the capability of local schools, GP surgeries and other vital services to cater for the increase in population that would result from the significant residential development currently being proposed by the Council in conjunction with the site’s owners, Workspace Group”.

Lib Dem councillors tried to amend the motion in three further ways – to require that the full impact of new housing on an area be considered in relation to *every* large development; to bring employment on the Rainbow Estate within the “needs analysis”; and to challenge the close working relationship of the developer with Merton Council in preparing this brief.

The planning brief was adopted by Merton Council on 16 August 2013 – it will inform any planning applications that are received for the site.

You can see full info about this on the Council’s website.

What do we think?
A a local group, we broadly agree that the site could include flats and business units, but feel there should be more job opportunities and fewer flats. Any redevelopment must not place undue pressure on local traffic. In particular the existing single access to the site by the entrance to Raynes Park station!

A development with so many flats and poor access also risks creating an unpleasant estate with one way in via a long walk under the railway bridge. Although new investment is welcome, we should not allow poorly thought-out development that lowers the quality of life for existing residents, and is just not a very nice place to live.